Announcements

I guess this is the internet equivalent of filing a Change of Address form:

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know that most of my content is now at www.artofseeing.com. If you know me, you know that understanding and developing the Art of Seeing has been my core message for a very long time. I finally acquired the domain, www.artofseeing.com, in 2016 and I (with tons of talented help) built a site there that I’m very proud of. I invite you to visit and have a look around. For now, my image galleries will still be hosted here, but the Art of Seeing Blog and all information about my Workshops, Private Instruction, Speaking, Meetups, Contests and lots more new content are all now on my new site. Come over anytime, no need to bring a housewarming gift 🙂

I am very excited announce that I will be the photography instructor for a unique adventure offered by Rock Creek Pack Station (Bishop, CA). For four days this spring, we will hike and ride through the remote and seldom visited Adobe Valley area of the Inyo National Forest seeking opportunities to observe and photograph the wild mustangs that call this rugged territory home. RCPS’ expert tracker/guides will educate us in the natural history and behavior of these icons of the American west. Photography instruction will be a combination of lecture/demonstrations, image critiques and in the field coaching. With any luck our cameras will capture galloping mustangs, battling stallions and mares with their newborn foals!

Nestled between two major mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains, the Adobe Valley is a unique haven for these magnificent creatures. With such stunning backdrops it’s hard to imagine a more picturesque locale for this exciting experience.

It’s contest time again… with a twist this time. Click here for the entry form and all of the details.

I’m doing something a little different this month to wrap up the year. This image may be less ‘serious’ (whatever that means) than some of my other work but you can’t deny that it’s in keeping with the season! I hope it brings a little smile your face. As an added bonus, the winner of this month’s contest will receive their choice of any one of my limited edition prints.

The 3 amigos from left to right are Spike, Rocky & Midnight. I took this a couple years back at our house in Steamboat Springs, CO. We got tired of tossing out a dead tree after every Christmas so we decided to decorate this spruce in our yard instead. I think it worked out quite nicely!

“Water Colors”

Jim Kerr of Steamboat Springs, CO is the winner of November’s Name This Image contest. I think Jim’s entry, “Water Colors”, is the perfect title for this photograph. Simple, elegant, artful…I love it! Congratualtions, Jim – you win a signed limited edition print of Water Colors.

Many thanks to everyone who particpated, there were so many great entries! Honorable mentions go out to:

“Rainboats” – Phil Regas

“Rowboat Reflections” – Susan Kienzle

“Dock of the Bay” – Haissel Neira

To those who didn’t win, don’t worry – you will have many more chances. I’ve decided to hold this contest monthly. Keep an eye on your Inbox or this website for the December contest announcement.

O.K. it’s time for another Image Naming Contest. Help me come up with the perfect title for this image and if your entry is chosen, you a win signed limited edition print of this photograph. Contest details and entry form are on my Facebook Page (don’t forget to “Like” while you’re there:) ). The deadline for entries is Nov 15 and the winner will be announced by Dec 1. This is the fourth time I’ve done this contest and it’s always been a great success. Below are the images and winning titles from the previous contests for inspiration. I’m looking forward to seeing your entry. Good Luck!

Ch-ch-ch-changes. David Bowie’s classic tune feels like the theme song to my life lately. No more gallery (for now). Lot’s more photo workshops and traveling. And writing. Something I’ve been meaning to do more of for a long time. Oh, did I mention that I’ve relocated to Santa Barbara? Steamboat Springs was an incredible chapter in my life and I will miss so many things about it, most of all the friends I leave behind. But sunny SB seems to be calling my name now and I’m heeding the siren’s song. Steamboat to Santa Barbara. I know. Don’t cry for me, Argentina.

Maybe the most obvious outward sign of my new direction is this new website. What do you think? “Blog-centric” is the term I like best. That’s right, from now on I’m going to be a blogging, twittering, facebooking, flickring fool. I can’t believe I just said that. But seriously, folks… Almost as much as photography itself, I’ve been fascinated with the whole artistic creative process. How does it work? Can we work it? And after twenty-some years of chasing the Muse, I feel like I have some things to say about her wily ways. Hence the blog-centric website. I want to share my insights but I also hope to start a discussion about the nature of art and creativity particularly as it applies to photography. I think we all stand to benefit and I hope you will join me.

And last but not least, the purpose of all this nonsense, new photos! I hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail last summer with a group from the Tahoe Rim Trail Association as part of their Annual Thru Hike. Backpacking 165 miles in 15 days . Baby steps in the thru hiking world but plenty of challenge for me. I can describe it in two words. Gruelling. Rewarding. Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip.

I made another trip to Cambodia in preparation for a photo workshop that I am leading there next year.

Revisiting Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples was no less mind blowing than the first time, but I also got to explore quite a bit more of the country including the tranquil coastline. Click here to see the photos.

The mountains and valleys surrounding Santa Barbara are always gorgeous in Spring but this year was especially vibrant as a result of this Winter’s epic rainfalls. I spent quite a bit of time in the Santa Ynez valley just north of Santa Barbara. Here are a few of my favorite images.

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A thousand years ago the god-kings of the ancient Khmer empire organized stupendous feats of architectural engineering. Enormous reservoirs measured in miles and equally impressive monuments in stone honoring themselves and the mythical deities they worshipped. We know these structures today as the Temples of Angkor in the country of Cambodia and they remain simply mind blowing in their immensity and complexity. Many are amazingly well preserved, others only partially reclaimed from centuries of jungle growth. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the centerpiece of an 8 day photography workshop I will be leading in January 2012 entitled Angkor Wat & Beyond. As the title suggests, temple ruins are but one of the highlights of this amazing adventure. Cambodia is a photographer’s paradise from lush jungles, abundant wildlife and unique people﻿
Interested? Get more details in the Workshops section of this site or you can find additional images in my Cambodia photo gallery

2010 Aug 28 – 29 – The Art of Seeing Weekend Workshop– How can I improve my photography is a question I often hear. The short answer is practice, practice, practice. But practice what exactly and how? What is “The Art of Seeing”? Can I develop my photographic eye or is it a talent you are just born with (or without)? These are the questions we will tackle in this intensive two day workshop. Through a combination of lectures and field sessions, I will demonstrate that everyone can learn to see ‘correctly’ and (more…)

Okay, we’re doing it again. Come up with the winning name for this untitled new release and win a matted 12X18 print of this image. You can see the winning entries for previous contests in the posts below. Click the photo to see a larger version on my website or go to www.kenleephoto.com and select Galleries>Nature/FineArt>New Releases. Select the thumbnail and click Zoom to see an enlarged version. To enter, click here or go to my website and select Name This Image Contest. Deadline is March 10. Good luck!

Two of my images, “Winter Fenceline” and “Humphrey’s Basin at Dusk” were chosen to be included in theBest of Nature exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum. A total of 72 images were selected from over 2300 entries for this exhibit. The exhibit will be on display at the museum from June 27th thru Sept 13 this year. Click here for more information.

Our last contest was so successful, we are doing it again. Simply come up with a title for this new release and if your entry is selected you will win a matted limited edition print of this image. Click the photo to see a larger version on my website or go to www.kenleephoto.com and select Galleries>Nature/FineArt>New Releases. Select the thumbnail and click Zoom to see an enlarged version. Use the form on the Contact page to send in your entry or just send us an email with your title. Deadline is May 15. Good luck!

About Ken

Photographer, educator and aspiring writer. Most people think of me as a nature and travel photographer but I'm really just in love with the language of light and the worlds that learning to see has opened up for me. This site shares some of those worlds in words and pictures.